Fire extinguishing



Mayzz, 1934. w H TEMC'KE Y 1,959,553

FIRE EXTINGUISHING Patented May 2z, 1934 PATENT OFFICE' FIRE EXTINGUISHING Frank H. Steinicke, Elmira, N. Y., assigner to American-La France and Foamite Corporation,

a corporation of New Application January 16 4 Claims.

The invention relates to the use of compressed or liquefied gases, such as liquid CO2 for extinguishing fires, and the object is to promote the rapidity of the extinguishing process by increasing the rate of dilution, with the extinguishing gas, of the atmosphere surrounding the burning object, to the end that such atmosphere may quickly become non-supporting of combustion. More especially the invention .relates to the protection against re damage of electrical apparatus,` the purpose being to suppress quickly and effectively the combustion of the insulation, oil, etc. going on inside of the casing or enclosing shell of the apparatus. For this purpose the invention, as hereinafter described in greater detail, makes use of the simultaneous application of suction and pressure to the chamber in which the electrical or other apparatus is housed, thereby accomplishing prompt exchange of the normal atmosphere for an atmosphere which does not support combustion. The combined action of suction and pressure produces practically instan taneous dilution of the internal atmosphere and quick extinction of the fire, thereby greatly reducing the extent of re damage, particularly in electric machines where this invention has its principal application and where such damage very quickly attains` serious proportions.

The principle, susceptible of embodiment in vvarious ways, is herein applied as exemplified in the accompanying drawing, representing a known type of motor generator set having the invention applied.

In this drawing the internal electrical and mechanical structure is represented generally by the numeral 1 being enclosed in a surrounding casing or shell represented by numeral 2 and which more or less completely surrounds the internal mechay nism. The nature and detail of this apparatus 40 is not of consequence to the present invention;

in certain electrical apparatus the casing will normally contain an atmosphere of hydrogen gas used for cooling the windings, although generally the internal atmosphere will be air only.

The application of this invention to the apparatus illustrated involves the provision of an escape outlet 3 leading from the machine casing to some suitable place of discharge. In the case of hydrogen-cooled apparatus this outlet can be York , 1932, Serial No. 586,996

to produce an outward suction ow of the internal atmosphere therethrough on the ejector principle. This nozzle 5 can be connected to any suitable pressure source, but is desirably connected, as by pipe 6, to the source 7 of the liquefied gas used for the extinguishing medium, because in this way the nozzle becomes active instantly on the release of the extinguishing medium. The force of the discharging gas ruptures the thin membrane and thus opens the escape passage so that the normal internal atmosphere of the machine can pass out.

Simultaneously with the action of the suctionproducing nozzle 5, the main branch 8 from the source 7 delivers extinguishing gas into the casing under pressure and at one or more points therein, according to the design of the machine and more or less remote from the ejector outlet or outlets, so that the normal internal atmosphere of the machine is promptly substituted by the extinguishing gas. In the case in hand, only one inlet discharge nozzle 9, is indicated. The extinguishing medium is necessary to be delivered at high pressure in order to produce a sufficiently prompt substitution of atmospheres and is preferably liquid CO2 contained in one or more flasks or cylinders as indicated, and which may be arranged to discharge into the chamber of the ma-v chine continuously or at intervals as conditions may require. Apparatus suitable for this purpose is known in the art and is commonly organized for automatic operation, continuously or intermittently as stated, by means which constitute no part of the present invention and therefore omitted from the drawing.

The gas outlets 5 and 9 which discharge simultaneously are co-related, as to the sizes of their discharge orifices, so as to maintain a slightly positive pressure inside the machine during their action, en'ough to prevent possible infiltration of air from the outside, but yet at not so great a pressure as to endanger the casing. This is a matter which obviously depends upon the size and configuration of the machine casing or space and will readily be adjusted accordingly. Where the machine normally runs in a hydrogen atmospher'e, it is obviously desirable to displace that gas with CO2 gas as promptly as possible and to remove the hydrogen on discharge to some place where it is not likely to result in explosion, for which purpose the outlet 3, as stated, may run to the roof or some remote point of discharge. When the hydrogen has been removed and its place occupied by the CO2 the need for the suc tion effect will have ceased and the nozzle 5 may be then discontinued as by closing the shut-ofi valve or by closing the outlet 3 with a suitable valve.

The invention is claimedas follows:

1. A nre protection system for apparatus in an 5 enclosed space, comprising a normally closed escape passage for the normal atmosphere in `sai'cl` space, a source of compressed gas having an outlet for compressed gas associated with yand adapted, when active, to apply the energyoi the gas to open said escape passage, another outlet from said source adapted to deliver extinguishing gas into said space rand means for rendering both outlets coincidently active. ,l

2. A nre protection system comprising in combination with a1 chamber enclosing the risk, a supply of liquefied CO2, a system of discharge pipes for the CO2 comprising a pipe terminating so as to discharge into said chamber and another pipe terminating so as to discharge in\suction producing relation to the chamber and a single control means fory rendering said discharges operative coincidently.

3. The method of protecting and extinguishing res in closed chambers normally containing an atmosphere oi' air or combustible gas, which consists in maintaining a source of supply of fire' `FR.ANK H. sTEINIoKE. 

